Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Administrator Robert Empedrad and 14 other personnel have caught COVID-19.
“At least 15 individuals at the Central Office of the Maritime Industry Authority in Manila have tested positive for the coronavirus disease or COVID-19,” Empedrad said Friday.
Empedrad said he was among the infected personnel. “I was also infected but I’m OK now,” he said.
Other infected individuals were 12 personnel, one utility, and one security staff.
Empedrad said infected personnel are from various offices “but some of them are asymptomatic.”
He added that they are confident they will recover soon.
Marina encouraged those who transacted with their offices in Manila starting Jan. 18 to monitor their health.
“Stakeholders, who visited or transacted business on the third, 10th, and 11th floors of the agency beginning Monday, Jan. 18, 2021, are strongly advised to monitor their health conditions and have themselves tested should they manifest any symptom of the disease,” Empedrad said.